The Family You Choose
by Joseph Haney
Summary: When Schneider sees Victor trying to sneak out of Elena's Quinceañera, he tries to convince him to stay.


The party was going better than anyone could have imagined. Schneider had to admit, Alex was one hell of a party planner. Granted, he'd simply taken what Penelope had started and made sure it got done, but for a kid who spent most of his free time plugged into his computer or on his PS4, he had some serious leadership skills when the chips were down. He clearly got that from his mother and grandmother.

Everyone was enjoying the event. Even Elena who, though being the reason the party was happening at all, had originally wanted nothing to do with the idea of a _quinceañera_ , was having a good time. Schneider couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her smile this much. Or if he'd ever seen her smile this much. But there she was, in the middle of the dance floor with Josh, Carmen, Alex and all of her friends, just dancing like crazy.

There was only one person who didn't seem to be having a good time – Victor, Elena's father. He'd been sitting at his table for most of the party, a somber look on his face. Schneider wasn't always the best at reading people, but even he could tell something was off. So, when Victor stood and started toward one of the side exits to the ballroom, Schneider rose to follow him.

"Hey," he called once he was out in the hallway. "Where are you going?"

Victor stopped and turned, looking Schneider over. "I'm just…going out for some fresh air, that's all."

"Oh…alright. Just don't take too long, alright? The Father-daughter daughter dance is in about ten minutes. I know because Penelope made me memorize the playlist," he added, forcing a small chuckle in an attempt to lighten the mood. When Victor didn't respond, he coughed and tried to pass it off as clearing his throat. "You're sure everything's alright?" Schneider asked. "I only ask because you're the only one in the ballroom who doesn't seem to be having a good time."

"I'm fine," Victor said, his tone short. "Everything's fine and it's none of your business anyway." He turned and stared toward the exit.

Schneider blinked in surprise for a moment, then, as he so often did, spoke before he thought it through. "Is this about Elena being gay?"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Schneider wished he could take them back. This was a private thing, none of his concern…but still, he cared about Penelope and her kids. And there was no going back now. Victor had stopped and was turning around with a hard look on his face.

"My daughter is not…It's just a phase. And she'll get over it if everyone would stop encouraging her!"

"Yeah…I'm not exactly an expert, but I'm pretty sure that's not how it works," Schneider said.

Victor muttered a string of words in Spanish that Schneider didn't understand, but he was pretty sure the man wasn't complimenting him on his freshly shaven face.

"Why do you even care?" Victor asked. "You're not her family. You're just the landlord. What are you even doing here?"

Much to Schneider's surprise, he didn't need to think about his response. "Because I think of them as family," he said. "My parents…we were never as close as Penelope and Lydia are to Alex and Elena. There were a lot of long, awkward silences growing up with my dad. That's probably why I talk so much, because I hate that feeling…"

He shook his head. "I don't know if they feel the same way about me, or if I'm just the crazy white guy who lives upstairs and won't stop coming to dinner, but…honestly my life's been better since they've been in it. And Elena…this day is important to her. More than she'll probably ever admit. And if you don't go out there for that father-daughter dance…I don't know what happens from there, but it's not good for anyone."

Victor took a deep breath, his hand curling into a fist and for a moment Schneider was afraid this was going to be the last thing he saw. Then Victor shook his head and relaxed his fist. "I can't," he said. "I'm sorry. But I can't go out there and pretend that I'm okay with this when I'm not." He turned and continued to the exit, leaving a stunned Schneider standing in the hallway.

Just as he turned to head back to the ballroom, he heard the DJ announce the father-daughter dance and the song Elena had picked out start playing. He walked in and his heart sank as his eyes fell on Elena. There she was, alone in the dance floor in the white pants-suit that Lydia had sewn for her waiting for a father that wasn't coming. For the first time all afternoon, the smile faded from her face as she saw the empty chair.

Movement out of the corner of his eye forced his attention away and he looked toward Penelope, who was giving him a confused look. All he could manage was a small shake of his head, but it got the point across. Victor was gone.

Penelope stood and walked to the dance floor, and Schneider braced himself for Elena to run out of the ballroom in tears, but instead, Penelope took her daughter and started dancing in Victor's place. A moment later, Alex came from the other side of the dance floor, and put his hands on his sister's shoulders, slowly moving to the music as well. Then Lydia stood and Schneider realized that Elena was going to be okay. Sure, her relationship with her father wasn't going to be the same, but she wasn't alone. She had a family who was going to make sure of that, no matter what. And he was part of that family.

Without a second thought, he walked through the tables and moved onto the dance floor, joining the huddle and letting Elena know that her family included one crazy white guy who wouldn't stop coming to dinner.


End file.
